Hinduism is a minority religion in

Balochistan Balochistan ( ; bal, بلۏچستان; also romanised as Baluchistan and Baluchestan) is a historical region in Western and South Asia, located in the Iranian plateau's far southeast and bordering the Indian Plate and the Arabian Sea coastline. ...

followed by 0.4% of the population of the province. It is the largest minority religion in

. The Balochistan is home to the shrine of Shri Hinglaj Mata temple, which is one of the most sacred Hindu temples. The annual Hinglaj Yatra to the temple is the largest Hindu pilgrimage in Pakistan.

History

The earliest people in Balochistan were the

Brahui people The Brahui ( brh, ), Brahvi or Brohi, are an ethnic group of pastoralists principally found in Balochistan, Pakistan. A minority speaks the Brahui language, which belongs to the Dravidian language family, while the rest speaks Balochi and ten ...

, a Dravidian speaking people closely related to the Dravidian speaking people of

South India South India, also known as Dakshina Bharata or Peninsular India, consists of the peninsular southern part of India. It encompasses the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana, as well as the union territ ...

. They were originally

Hindu Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...

s and

Buddhist Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and ...

s. The Hindu Sewa Dynasty ruled much of region of Balochistan up until the 7th century AD. The Sibi division which was carved out of the Quetta division still derives its name from Rani Sewi, the queen of the Hindu Sewa dynasty. In , the Hindu Brahman dynasty of Sindh controlled parts of Balochistan. During the 7th century, Arab forces invaded

subsequently converting a large majority of the

Baloch people The Baloch or Baluch ( bal, بلۏچ, Balòc) are an Iranian people who live mainly in the Balochistan region, located at the southeasternmost edge of the Iranian plateau, encompassing the countries of Pakistan, Iran, and Afghanistan. There ...

from Hinduism to Islam. After the

partition of British India The Partition of British India in 1947 was the change of political borders and the division of other assets that accompanied the dissolution of the British Raj in South Asia and the creation of two independent dominions: India and Pakistan. T ...

and the ensuing creation of Pakistan, much of the Hindu Baloch migrated to India, particularly the Bhagnaris community.

Demographics

According to the 1998 Census,

had approximately 39,000 Hindus (including the

Scheduled Castes The Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) are officially designated groups of people and among the most disadvantaged socio-economic groups in India. The terms are recognized in the Constitution of India and the groups are designa ...

) constituting 0.59% of the population. In the 2017 Census, the absolute number of Hindus increased to 49,000 but their percentage decreased to 0.4%. However, Pakistan Hindu Council estimates that there are 117,345 Hindus in Balochistan.

Community life

Only a minority of

are Hindus. There are Hindu Balochs in the Bugti, Bezenjo, Marri, Rind and other Baloch tribes. Compared to the rest of the country, the Hindus in

province are relatively more secure and face less religious persecution. The tribal chiefs in Balochistan, particularly the Jams of Lasbela and

Bugti Bugti ( bal, بُگٹی ) is a Baloch tribe found in eastern Balochistan, Pakistan. , it was estimated to comprise over 180,000 people, mostly living in the Dera Bugti region of Pakistan. They are in turn divided into the Rahija,Marhita, Perozani, ...

of Dera Bugti, consider non-Muslims including Hindus as members of their own extended family and allows religious freedom. They have never forced Hindus to convert. In Balochistan Hindu places of worship are proportionate to their population. For example, between Uthal and Bela jurisdiction in

Lasbela District Lasbela District (Urdu and bal, , Sindhi Lasi: لسبيلو) is a coastal district of Balochistan province of Pakistan. It is also called Sassi-Punnu Garh () among localites. History Alexander the Great passed through Lasbela on his way ...

, there are 18 temples for 5,000 Hindus living in the area, which is an indicator of religious freedom. However, in

Khuzdar District Khuzdar ( Balochi and Brahui: ; Urdu: ) is a district in the Balochistan province of Pakistan. Its capital is the city of Khuzdar. Until its establishment as a district in 1974 it was part of Kalat District. In November 1992 part of the terri ...

and

Kalat District Kalat or Qalat ( Balochi and Brahui: ; ur, ) is a district in Balochistan, Pakistan. It is one of 26 in that province, and encompasses an area of . The population of the district is estimated to be over 400,000 in 2005. The district is governe ...

, Hindus face discrimination. The Hindu marriages in Punjab are registered under the Hindu marriage act of 2017. In

Balochistan provincial assembly The Provincial Assembly of Balochistan is a unicameral legislature of elected representatives of the Pakistani province of Balochistan, and is located in Quetta, the provincial capital. It was established under Article 106 of the Constitution of ...

, there are three seats reserved for minorities. Hindus usually get elected on 1 or 2 seats.

Temples

File:Preperation of Hawan at Hinglaj Mata (Rani ki Mandir) During Yanglaj Yatra 2017 Photo by Aliraza Khatri.jpg, Hawan at

Hinglaj Mata mandir Hinglaj Mata (Hindi: हिंगलाज माता, bal, هنگلاج ماتا, ), also known as Hinglaj Devi, Hingula Devi and Nani Mandir, is a Hindu temple in Hinglaj, a town on the Makran coast in the Lasbela district of Balochistan, a ...

File:Baba Chandragup volcano.jpg, Baba Chandragup is an important stop during Hinglaj Yatra File:Kalat Kali Temple at Kalat City.jpg,

Kalat Kali Temple Kalāt or Qalāt ( Brahui/ Balochi: قلات), historically known as Qīqān, is a historic town located in Kalat District, Balochistan, Pakistan. Kalat is the capital of Kalat District and is known locally as Kalat-e-Brahui and Kalat-e-Sewa. Q ...

Kalat, Pakistan Kalāt or Qalāt ( Brahui/ Balochi: قلات), historically known as Qīqān, is a historic town located in Kalat District, Balochistan, Pakistan. Kalat is the capital of Kalat District and is known locally as Kalat-e-Brahui and Kalat-e-Sewa. Q ...

. File:View of Sidh Pani Nath Ji Temple (After Renovation) at Mirri Fort (Quetta Fort)..jpg, Sidh Pani Nath Ji Temple in

Quetta Quetta (; ur, ; ; ps, کوټه‎) is the tenth most populous city in Pakistan with a population of over 1.1 million. It is situated in south-west of the country close to the International border with Afghanistan. It is the capital of ...

References

External links